Georgia Divorce Financial Affidavit

What the DRFA Is and Why It Matters

The Domestic Relations Financial Affidavit (DRFA) is a sworn financial statement generally required in Georgia divorce cases involving claims for property division, alimony, child support, or attorney's fees. Under Uniform Superior Court Rule (USCR) 24.2, a party requesting one of those forms of relief must file it; some judges waive it when there is a complete agreement with no support claims. Because you sign the DRFA under penalty of perjury, any material misstatement — understating income, inflating expenses, or omitting assets — can result in sanctions, loss of credibility, or a contempt finding.

The DRFA is the evidentiary foundation for every financial decision the court makes. Judges use it to evaluate temporary support requests, structure equitable distribution, and set child support. Getting it right is not optional.

Filing and Service Deadlines

• Before a temporary or final hearing: File and serve the DRFA at least 15 days before the hearing
• Before mediation: File and serve at least 10 days before the scheduled session
• DRFA and mandatory financial attachments: The plaintiff must exchange them within 15 days of filing; the defendant within 30 days of service

What the DRFA Requires

The DRFA covers four major categories:

Gross monthly income — all sources: salary, bonuses, commissions, self-employment income, rental income, investment dividends, Social Security, disability, retirement distributions. Convert irregular income (seasonal work, freelance payments) into accurate monthly averages. Courts catch inflated or deflated figures by cross-referencing your tax returns and pay stubs.

Monthly expenses — itemized household costs including mortgage or rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, insurance premiums, childcare, medical expenses, and debt service payments. Be precise. Rounding every line item up by $50 looks like inflation; judges notice.

Assets — every asset held by either spouse: real property, bank accounts, retirement accounts, vehicles, business interests, personal property of significant value. Include the current fair market value and note which assets you claim as separate property.

Liabilities — every debt: mortgages, car loans, credit cards, student loans, tax obligations, medical debt. List the creditor, current balance, monthly payment, and whose name appears on the account.

Mandatory Discovery Attachments

Under Rule 24.2, you must also serve the following documents on the opposing party (but not file them with the court — they stay private to prevent identity theft):

• Three most recent pay stubs
• Three years of federal and state tax returns
• Most recent W-2s, 1099s, and K-1s
• Most recent statements for all bank, investment, and retirement accounts

Redact Social Security numbers and full account numbers on anything filed on the public docket. Reference accounts by institution and last four digits only.

Common DRFA Mistakes

Annualization errors. If you're paid biweekly, multiplying by two does not give your accurate monthly income. Biweekly pay means 26 paychecks per year, not 24. The correct monthly conversion: biweekly gross × 26 / 12.

Omitting irregular income. Bonuses, overtime, freelance payments, and rental income must be included. If you earned it during the past 12 months, it belongs on the DRFA.

Forgetting separate property documentation. If you claim an asset is separate, the DRFA should note that claim. You will need supporting evidence (original purchase records, inheritance documentation) to back it up.

Inflating expenses. Judges compare your claimed monthly expenses against your reported income. If your expenses exceed your income with no explanation, your credibility drops.

The Georgia Divorce Financial Split & Asset Division Guide includes a DRFA preparation worksheet that walks you through each section with Georgia-specific instructions, plus a document-gathering checklist organized by the 30-day discovery timeline.

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